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An Interview with Author Nicky Peacock

Today I have an interview with Nicky Peacock to share with you all. Nicky is the Amazon Best-Selling Author of the Battle of the Undead and the Twisted and the Brave series with Evernight Teen. Her newest book Lost in Wonderland, was released in April.

Title: Lost in WonderlandSeries: The Twisted and The Brave #1Author: Nicky PeacockPublisher: Evernight TeenPublication date: April 14, 2016Genres: Young Adult, Thriller, Fairy Tale

Monsters, serial killers, and imaginary friends—being a Wonderlander can be murder…
Once upon a time, Kayla was lost. Then she found Wonderland, but not the one you know. Run by ex-government agents and funded by an eccentric Silicon Valley billionaire, this Wonderland is the name of a collective of highly trained vigilantes who hunt serial killers. Now Kayla, aka Mouse, works tirelessly alongside her fellow Wonderlanders, Rabbit and Cheshire, baiting dangerous murderers. But even her extensive training hasn’t prepared her for the return of her older brother…

Shilo has spent most of his life in an insane asylum, convinced his mother was abducted by a sinister Alaskan monster who lures the lost away to feast upon their flesh. And now he’s certain that his sister is in the same monster’s crosshairs. But if Shilo is going to save what’s left of his family, he’ll have to convince his sister that maybe, just maybe, we’re all a little mad.

Interview:

Describe your book in 5 words

Nicky Peacock: Gripping, gruesome, mysterious, bloody, madness

What was your inspiration for this book?

NP: It was Alice in Wonderland’s 150th anniversary last year, and I wanted to write a book that honored the themes without just transposing the whole story into another genre – and Lost in Wonderland was born. I’m currently working on new books in this series based on other children’s books. The second book is The Assassin of Oz, and I’m working on a prequel to the series which is inspired by The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

What’s your favorite character you’ve ever written?

NP: A zombie dog called Buddy. He appeared in my story, For Audrey which is included in the So Long and Thanks for all the Brain anthology. Buddy wakes up dead in a zombie apocalypse but doesn’t let that stop him getting his young ward to safety.

What is your writing process like?

NP: I have a bit of an odd process; I tend to write the scenes I’m most passionate about first and then go back over the plot to fill in the gaps. It’s a bit unconventional, but I find that once I’ve written all the exciting scenes the story itself starts to evolve, and so the weaker ones become more coherent to the overall story, and I’m more committed to not wasting what I’ve already written and so I know I’ll finish the book.

What books have influenced you as a writer?

NP: There have been quite a few that inspired me to write in my genres. Poppy Z Brites’ Lost Souls was one of the most beautifully written vampire stories that showed them warts and all – definitely no sparkling vampires there! If you want to write horror, I’d recommend any Richard Laymon book and urban fantasy has to be Patricia Briggs and Keri Arthur.

When did you know you wanted to become a writer?

NP: I can’t remember a time that I didn’t, but it was six years ago that I took it seriously and started submitting work. There are plenty of writers in the world, but only the brave will start putting their work out there, and it took me a while to get to that point. Once I did, though, I began to get short stories published and then my first Novella, Bad Blood was taken up.

Something about you that people would be surprised to know?

NP: I, like my Lost in Wonderland character Mouse, am deathly afraid of getting lost. It’s a hard fear to explain to people, and most of my friends see it as a quirk, but going somewhere I don’t know (especially driving) frightens the hell out of me – I’m talking sweaty palms, white knuckles and sleepless nights when I know a journey is coming up. I’m okay when someone is with me, but on my own, my anxiety levels just shoot straight up!

If you weren’t a writer, what do you think you’d be doing now?

NP: Watching TV. I’m a massive TV addict, and I got Netflix a few months ago, and I systematically both love it and curse it! It’s a great distraction, but I do have a lot of writing to do, so it is a bit of a constant temptation.

Can you share with us anything about what you’re working on now?

NP: I’m currently working on the second in the Twisted and the Brave series, The Assassin of Oz and also the last in the Battle of the Undead series, Bad Karma.

What are you currently reading?

NP: I’m reading Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neil and also a nonfiction book, The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout. I’m always reading, and I like to try different authors and subjects.

Thanks for stopping by my blog, Nicky!

NP: Thank you so much for having me here today 🙂

About the Author:

I guess I’ve always been a storyteller, not in a ‘liar liar pants on fire’ kind of way, although I do work in advertising! When I was little, kids would crowd around me in the playground and I’d tell them tales of blood soaked horror filled with vampires, werewolves, ghosts and more. Yes, most would consider me a disturbed child, but my playmates couldn’t help themselves, they’d huddle around me every break time like an ancient tribe feeding off the fear; and that’s how I learned that horror stories hold a certain power, no matter what some might say, everyone is addicted to a good scare, especially if it is somewhat rooted safely in unrealistic beings… or are they unrealistic?

Writing was really a natural progression for me. So far I’ve had 35 short stories included in anthologies produced by publishers all over the world; my latest was included in Little Brown Book Group’s Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories. I have two YA series with the publishers, Evernight Teen: Battle of the Undead and The Twisted and The Brave.